Morning pixels: Is Strasmas over?

On the one hand, it was a gorgeous night, and the Nats were in first place, and Stephen Strasburg was on the mound.

On the other hand, the Caps were playing a crucial playoff game at home, and it was a Monday in April, and the opponent was the lackluster Astros.

So me, I wasn’t particularly bothered by the 16,000 and change official attendance number, especially because the team’s first four home games had been the biggest first-four-games crowd in Nats Park history. (Check out a picture from just before first pitch right here.)

Thom Loverro: Reported 16,000 at Nationals Park for Strasburg. Poor even on April Monday night vs Astros and Capitals home playoff game.

Mike Wise: 16,425 for Stephen Strasburg’s home debut — that’s Natitude! All you DMVers who say people chose Caps game over Strasburg’s debut at home — you mean there are just 34,000 live-event fans in this town?

Then there was the e-mail I got from a random Phillies fan: “Where were those damn Phillies fans when we really needed them? Better luck the first weekend of May. Take back your park.”

Since Nationals Park opened in 2008, the first non-Opening Day Monday or Tuesday night home game of the season consistently draws significantly small crowds.

Last year, the Nationals drew just 13,413 for the first Tuesday night of the season (they were off the day before) and brought in just 11,623 the year before on the first April Monday. In 2009, only 12,473 showed up. Even in 2008, when the Nationals had barely taken all the bubble wrap off their sparkling new stadium, the first Monday night in April drew 20,487 -- less than half the park’s capacity.

By that measure, the 16,245 was the second-highest draw for this type of game in the park’s history.

The attendance will be just fine. And yeah, maybe Strasburg starts are no longer a hold-everything event, but that’s probably better for everyone, including Strasburg.

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